Jeanine Tesori
Who’ll Be the One (If Not Me)
[RADIO SINGER]
Who's gonna lace your kid-leather shoes
Who's gonna bounce you on his knee
Who's gonna heed your hullabaloos
Who'll be the one, if not me

[YOUNG VI, spoken]
Papa? Papa, it's me, Violet!

[FATHER, spoken]
What am I doing here?

[YOUNG VI, spoken]
Don't you recognize the farm? The flowers are new, I planted them myself. 

[FATHER, spoken]
What use are flowers?

[YOUNG VI, spoken]
You remember what you taught me? 
[YOUNG VI, spoken]
Wait!

[OLD LADY, spoken]
Let him go, dear. Here, practice on me. 

[YOUNG VI, spoken]
It's the old lady!
Do you think my mama smelled like you?

[OLD LADY, spoken]
I can't say, dear. But I know she would have loved the smell of you. There is nothing sweeter than a baby's head.[RADIO TRIO]
Dance with me darlin'
Stand on my toes
 
 
Dance to the old-time me-lo-dee
 
 
 
Who's gonna love you do you suppose
 
 
Who'll be the one, if not me[YOUNG VI, spoken]
But is that all I get in this life?

[OLD LADY, spoken]
What do you mean, dear?

[RADIO TRIO]
Rooster go cock-a-doodle-ooo, cock-adoodle-oodle-ive
[MONTY, spoken]
Ladies, ladies! Who here feels like dancing?

[RADIO TRIO]
Rooster go cock-a-doodle-ooo, cock-adoodle-oodle-ee

[OLD LADY, spoken]
Oh! I've been dipped. 

[RADIO SINGER]
Wake up, my dear, it's a quarter to five
Who'll be the one, if not me

[MONTY, spoken]
Little sister, care for a spin?

[RADIO TRIO]
Hear the rooster crow

[OLD LADY, spoken]
Go ahead, dear. Isn't he fine!

[RADIO TRIO]
Cock-a-doodle-oh

[YOUNG VI, spoken]
But…on the bus…
[OLD LADY, spoken]
Honey, I'm not on the bus now. I wish he could'a seen me in my flash!

[RADIO TRIO]
Who's gonna love you[OLD LADY, spoken]
A man like that asks you to dance, you dance. 

[MONTY, spoken]
Who's that over there, little sister –[RADIO SINGER]
Do you suppose
 
 
Who'll be the one
If the one is not me[OLD LADY, spoken]
The dancin' don't last, but the memories do…

[RADIO SINGER]
Who'll be the one, if not me

[MONTY, spoken]
Look at her, lying there all defenseless like that. 

[YOUNG VI, spoken]
You shouldn't read that. 

[MONTY, spoken]
"Praise God for Memphis and for two new friends." One'a them is me! Maybe you're dreaming about me. I hope we're up to something. 

[YOUNG VI, spoken]
I don't wanna hear any more. 

[MONTY, spoken]
"There's a Gideon Bible in my room, and inside it are a lot of dirty words somebody wrote. It's like…"

[VIOLET, spoken]
It's like something Montgomery would do. 

[MONTY, spoken]
You think you're so smart. 

[VIOLET, spoken]
Smarter'n you. 

[MONTY, spoken]
You're full'a shit. 

[VIOLET, spoken]
So what are you doing hangin' around my room for?